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LA Votes to Replace Columbus Day

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On Wednesday, August 30th, in Los Angeles, California, city council decided nearly unanimously to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. “Indigenous” means native to our land, and it will remain on the second Monday of October annually. The vote was 14-1.

Columbus Day is named after the explorer, Christopher Columbus, known for his declaration of discovering America. But this idea brings controversy. People who supported the change argue that Columbus isn’t worthy of celebration due to his ties to slavery and brutality toward Native Americans. However, he is also viewed as a hero of the Italian-American community, who view Columbus Day as a celebration of their heritage. This concept did not sway the council.

Other cities that honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day are San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis, Berkeley, and Santa Cruz. The city of LA will have until 2019 to rename that day. In any case, it will remain a federal holiday.